▸ Research & Impact

Underpinning the media profile is two decades of serious research. With a PhD and a background spanning academia and industry, Dr Jo brings rigour and depth to questions most people are only beginning to ask. A central focus of her work is the impact of digital life on mental health, from children and adolescents through to adults and the workplace, and her research has shaped how a generation understands digital behaviour, coining terms like “sharenting” and “zombie scrolling” that are now part of everyday language. Across all of it, her work cuts through hype and fear alike, translating complex shifts into insight people can actually use.

Dr Jo’s advice is grounded in an active, government-funded research programme. Her current work spans AI literacy and the development of chatbots as professional learning tools, the effective use of screens for learning, new approaches to technology policy, and family digital safety. Several of these studies directly support NSW Government commitments, meaning her research is shaping policy and practice at the highest level. It’s this evidence base, not opinion, that Dr Jo brings to every organisation she works with.

▸ Policy & Advisory Influence

Dr Jo’s expertise shapes policy at the highest levels. She advised the Australian Government on the world-first under-16 social media ban, has provided expertise to the UK Cabinet on children’s access to online learning, and advises gaming platforms, big tech and social media companies, across Australia and the United States, on digital safety and online behaviour. She also works with the NSW Government on new approaches to technology policy, bringing the research that reveals the human side of technology to the way policy is designed and put into practice.